HI GUYS! So Upfronts begin next week and I AM A LITTLE STRESSED OUT. Cancelations, renewals, series orders, THERE IS JUST A WHOLE LOT GOING ON RIGHT NOW AND IT’S HARD TO KEEP UP, QUITE HONESTLY, SOMEONE FETCH ME A RESTORATIVE COCKTAIL.
This post is an attempt to organize what we know about what ABC has in store for the fall season: all the new shows, all the renewed shows and, R.I.P. — all the canceled shows. News is fluid right now, so check back in as I will continue to update these posts.
ABC’s Upfront presentation is on the afternoon of Tuesday, May 15th. By then, we should have photos, trailers, a schedule and a full list of ABC’s renewed and canceled series. I will add that information as it comes in. Send mescal.
ABC announced their schedule ahead of their Upfront presentation, and it’s notable that they are expanding their comedy fare, and moving two of their established sitcoms onto Friday nights. Also, the long-rumored Dancing with the Stars Junior is coming to Sunday nights, along with an Alec Baldwin talk show that no one asked for.
Schedule
MONDAY
7 p.m. Dancing with the Stars
9 p.m. The Good Doctor
TUESDAY
7 p.m. Roseanne
7:30 p.m. THE KIDS ARE ALRIGHT
8 p.m. black-ish
8:30 p.m. Splitting Up Together
9 p.m. THE ROOKIE
WEDNESDAY
7 p.m. The Goldbergs
7:30 p.m. American Housewife
8 p.m. Modern Family
8:30 p.m. SINGLE PARENTS
9 p.m. A MILLION LITTLE THINGS
THURSDAY
7 p.m. Grey’s Anatomy
8 p.m. Station 19
9 p.m. How to Get Away with Murder
FRIDAY
7 p.m. Fresh Off the Boat
7:30 p.m. Speechless
8 p.m. Child Support
9 p.m. 20/20
SATURDAY
7 p.m. Saturday Night Football
SUNDAY
6 p.m. America’s Funniest Home Videos
7 p.m. DANCING WITH THE STARS: JUNIOR
8 p.m. Shark Tank
9 p.m. THE ALEC BALDWIN SHOW
New Shows
The Rookie
Description from ABC:
Starting over isn’t easy, especially for small town guy John Nolan who, after a life-altering incident, is pursuing his dream of being an LAPD officer. As the force’s oldest rookie, he’s met with skepticism from some higher-ups who see him as just a walking midlife crisis. If he can’t keep up with the young cops and the criminals, he’ll be risking lives including his own. But if he can use his life experience, determination and sense of humor to give him an edge, he may just become a success in this new chapter of his life. The cast includes Nathan Fillion, Afton Williamson, Eric Winter, Richard T. Jones, Melissa O’Neil, Titus Makin, Alyssa Diaz and Mercedes Mason.
T’s Take:
I love me some Nathan Fillion (as does ABC), but this looks … awfully serious? Let’s hope it’s more light-hearted than this appears.
The Kids are Alright
Description from ABC:
Set in the 1970s, an Irish-Catholic family with a working-class dad, traditional mom and eight boisterous sons navigates changes big and small during one of America’s most turbulent decades.
Cast: Michael Cudlitz, Mary McCormack, Jack Gore, Sam Straley, Caleb Martin Foote, Christopher Paul Richards, Sawyer Barth, Andy Walken, Sawyer Barth, Santino Barnard
T’s Take
This is from the creator of Last Man Standing, and was clearly picked up to compliment Roseanne. I will reserve judgment until I see the trailer, but I am thinking this will be a multi-camera, less woke That 70s Show. No thank you. UPDATE: Hey! It’s more promising than I thought. Definite Wonder Year vibes happening here. They could probably tone it down on the whole 70s = present day business, but hopefully that was just to sell the pilot. I’m moving this up to a cautiously optimistic.
Single Parents
Description from ABC:
This ensemble comedy follows a group of single parents as they lean on each other to help raise their 7-year-old kids and maintain some kind of personal lives outside of parenthood. The series begins when the group meets Will, a 30-something guy who’s been so focused on raising his daughter that he’s lost sight of who he is as a man. When the other single parents see just how far down the rabbit hole of PTA, parenting and princesses Will has gone, they band together to get him out in the dating world and make him realize that being a great parent doesn’t mean sacrificing everything about your own identity.
The series stars Taran Killam as Will, Leighton Meester as Angie, Kimrie Lewis as Poppy, Jake Choi as Miggy, Marlow Barkley as Sophie, Tyler Wladis as Graham, Devin Trey Campbell as Rory, Grace Hazelett as Emma, Sadie Hazelett as Amy and Brad Garrett as Douglas.
T’s Take:
Taran Killam! Leighton Meester! Brad Garrett! I’m either going to love this or hate this. It’s all dependent on the trailer. UPDATE: The trailer is cute enough — its strength definitely is its cast. I don’t know that this is the next Modern Family or that it will break out of the Fresh Off the Boat/Speechless/The Middle ground for ABC, but I’ll be watching.
A Million Little Things
Description from ABC:
They say friendship isn’t one big thing, it’s a million little things; and that’s true for a group of friends from Boston who bonded under unexpected circumstances. Some have achieved success, others are struggling in their careers and relationships, but all of them feel stuck in life. After one of them dies unexpectedly, it’s just the wake-up call the others need to finally start living. Along the way they discover that friends may be the one thing to save them from themselves.
“A Million Little Things” stars David Giuntoli as Eddie, Ron Livingston as Jon, Romany Malco as Rome, Allison Miller as Maggie, Christina Moses as Regina, Christina Ochoa as Ashley, James Roday as Gary, Stephanie Szostak as Delilah and Lizzy Greene as Sophie.
T’s Take:
I’m old enough to remember The Big Chill, but I guess I’m also old enough that not everyone does. UPDATE: Yep, definitely Big Chill-like, a little thirtysomething-esque, but also ABC’s attempt to cash in on This is Us.
Grand Hotel
Description from ABC:
Eva Longoria executive produces this bold, provocative drama set at the last family-owned hotel in multicultural Miami Beach. Charismatic Santiago Mendoza owns the hotel, while his glamorous second wife, Gigi, and their adult children enjoy the spoils of success. The hotel’s loyal staff round out a contemporary, fresh take on an upstairs/downstairs story. Wealthy and beautiful guests bask in luxury, but scandals, escalating debt and explosive secrets hide beneath the picture-perfect exterior. The show is based on the Spanish series.
The series stars Demian Bichir as Santiago Mendoza, Roselyn Sanchez as Gigi Mendoza, Denyse Tontz as Alicia Mendoza, Bryan Craig as Javi Mendoza, Wendy Raquel Robinson as Mrs. P, Lincoln Younes as Danny, Shalim Ortiz as Mateo, Anne Winters as Ingrid, Chris Warren as Jason, Feliz Ramirez as Carolina and Justina Adorno as Yoli.
T’s Take:
I love a soap opera. Don’t judge me. UPDATE: It’s Jane the Virgin, minus the irony.
Whiskey Cavalier
Description from ABC:
“Whiskey Cavalier” is a high-octane, hour-long action dramedy that follows the adventures of tough but tender FBI super-agent Will Chase (codename: “Whiskey Cavalier”), played by Scott Foley. Following an emotional break-up, Chase is assigned to work with badass CIA operative Francesca “Frankie” Trowbridge (codename: “Fiery Tribune”), played by Lauren Cohan. Together, they lead an inter-agency team of flawed, funny and heroic spies who periodically save the world (and each other) while navigating the rocky roads of friendship, romance and office politics. The series is from writer/executive producer Dave Hemingson and executive producer Bill Lawrence with Warner Bros. Television.
The series stars Scott Foley as Will Chase, Lauren Cohan as Francesca “Frankie” Trowbridge, Ana Ortiz as Susan Sampson, Tyler James Williams as Edgar Standish and Vir Das as Jai Datta.
T’s Take:
Just so y’all know: this one is somewhat in flux. Lauren Cohan is “Maggie” on The Walking Dead and she’s renewed her contract over there. Either she is able to film both shows, or there is a casting change, or … well, we’ll see. It’s from the creator of Scrubs, Cougar Town and Spin City, so I’m cautiously optimistic. UPDATE: It’s Chuck.
The Fix
Description from ABC:
Attorney and author Marcia Clark co-writes and executive produces a new legal drama about Maya Travis, an L.A. district attorney who suffers a devastating defeat when prosecuting an A-list actor for double murder. With her high-profile career derailed, she flees for a quieter life in Washington. Eight years later when this same celebrity is under suspicion for another murder, Maya Travis is lured back to the DA’s office for another chance at justice. This legal thriller is executive produced/co-written by Clark, Liz Craft and Sarah Fain, and is from Mandeville TV and ABC Studios.
“The Fix” stars Robin Tunney as Maya Travis, Adam Rayner as Matthew Collier, Merrin Dungey as CJ, Breckin Meyer as Alan Wiest, Marc Blucas as Riv, Mouzam Makkar as Loni Kampoor, Alex Saxon as Gabriel Johnson, with Scott Cohen as Ezra Wolf and Adewale Akinnouye-Agbaje as Sevvy Johnson.
T’s Take:
A thinly-veiled version of the O.J. Simpson case, but this time, Marcia Clark wins! This is completely dependent on your tolerance for the O.J. story. Mine is high, but this might just test that. UPDATE: HOLY SHIT, this is even more O.J. than I thought. There’s a Kato! THERE IS A KATO.
Take Two
Description from ABC:
An entertaining private investigator procedural with a unique balance of comedy and drama. Sam Swift (Rachel Bilson), the former star of a hit cop series is fresh-out-of-rehab following a bender of epic proportions. Desperate to restart her career, she talks her way into shadowing rough-and-tumble private investigator Eddie Valetik (Eddie Cibrian) as research for a potential comeback role. Though lone wolf Eddie resents the babysitting gig, high-spirited Sam proves herself to be surprisingly valuable, drawing on her acting skills and 200 episodes of playing a detective.
The cast includes Rachel Bilson, Eddie Cibrian, Aliyah O’Brien, Xavier de Guzman and Alice Lee.
T’s Take:
I love me some Rachel Bilson. Eddie Cibrian, NOT SO MUCH. Still, sounds like a fun, frothy premise. Basically Castle 2.0. Just waiting on a trailer.
Schooled
Description from ABC:
The spinoff will be set in 1990-something and follow the hilarious teachers of William Penn Academy – led by Principal Glascott (Tim Meadows), Coach Mellor (Bryan Callen) and Lainey Lewis (AJ Michalka) – who, despite their eccentricities and crazy personal lives, are heroes to their students.
T’s Take:
It’s based on my husband’s high school. I have no choice but to watch. No trailer yet.
The Alec Baldwin Show
Description from ABC:
“The Alec Baldwin Show” (new title), which first debuted as a sneak preview in March, will also air this fall. Starring the three-time Emmy® winner, the one-hour show will showcase Baldwin’s in-depth conversations with compelling personalities.
T’s Take
OK.
Dancing with the Stars: Juniors
Description from ABC:
“Dancing with the Stars: Juniors,” previously announced last year, will be on the fall schedule. A fresh take on an established favorite, the show will pair celebrity kids with professional junior ballroom dancers to perform choreographed routines, which will be judged by a panel that will include renowned ballroom experts.
T’s Take
OK.
Cancellations
- Alex, Inc.
- Boy Band
- The Crossing
- Deception
- Designated Survivor
- Kevin (Probably) Saves the World
- Marvel’s Inhumans
- The Mayor
- The Middle
- Once Upon a Time
- Scandal
- Quantico
- Ten Days in the Valley
Renewals
- America’s Funniest Home Videos
- American Housewife
- American Idol
- The Bachelor
- black-ish
- Child Support
- Dancing with the Stars
- For the People
- Fresh Off the Boat
- The Goldbergs
- Grey’s Anatomy
- How to Get Away with Murder
- Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. — Renewed for a shorter 6th season, moving to the summer
- Modern Family
- Roseanne
- Speechless
- Splitting Up Together
- Station 19
Shows Still Up in the Air
- Match Game
- Shark tank
- The Toy Box
- $100,000 Pyramid (returns summer 2018)
- Bachelor in Paradise (returns summer 2018)
- The Bachelorette (returns summer 2018)
- Celebrity Family Feud (returns summer 2018)
- To Tell the Truth (returns summer 2018)
- Battle of the Network Stars (returns summer 2018)
I noticed “For The People” under Renewals (Good!), but didn’t see it on the proposed schedule. And “Dancing With The Stars” is shown for 2 hours on Mondays (Huh?).
Yep — “For the People” is a midseason show. I suspect they will put it in “How to Get Away With Murder’s” spot once it HTGAWM is done with its 15-episode run.
As for “Dancing with the Stars,” that’s its usual spot and length.
-T
“… that’s its usual spot and length …” Which shows you how much I watch it.
I can wait for midseason. I really like the characters, especially Kate Littlejohn … and Mango.